SCP-4006
MS

The area known to the public as the state of Massachusetts.

Item #: SCP-4006

Object Class: Thaumiel

Special Containment Procedures: No concrete containment procedures are necessary. Actions taken in regards to SCP-4006 should follow standard protocol of maintaining the veil (Protocol MtV-4006).

Description: SCP-4006 is a probabilistic anomaly affecting the state of Massachusetts, USA. SCP-4006 works to perpetuate the idea that Massachusetts is a populated state with a government, infrastructure, economy, various population centers, et cetera. Due to this, the true nature of Massachusetts is entirely unknown to the public;

Massachusetts has no history of human occupation.

All effects of SCP-4006 are in and of themselves mundane events, though highly improbable. It is the pervasiveness and frequency of these nigh incalculably low probability events, and their collaboration to effectively spread misinformation about Massachusetts, that earns SCP-4006 anomalous recognition. Why several SCP Foundation researchers were immune to the effects of SCP-4006 and were able to discover it (and subsequently spread the information to others) is unclear. To better understand SCP-4006's effects, the following is a heavily abridged early history of Massachusetts:

  • Massachusetts lacks any tribal presence.
  • Several nations, including Britain, Portugal, Spain, and France, begin to colonize the New World / the Americas.
  • Britain, knowing of France's plans to claim the northernmost parts of North America, claims to have a colony further north than Jamestown, and names the faux colony Plymouth.
  • Due to poor communication, further colonists are led to believe that the land of Massachusetts has already been colonized. Colonists that do wish to go to Plymouth inexplicably find themselves landing further south, after terrible ocean storms. Such colonists are met with other colonists who believe themselves to be further north, and call the area Massachusetts.
  • The fishing industry operates out of Rhode Island. Though fishing boats are pushed north by southern winds to the coast of Massachusetts, no boats ever land on the beaches, and no human steps foot onto any land in Massachusetts.
  • Rhode Island and Connecticut develop, unknowing of the presence of people believing to be within Massachusetts. Colonies use the same land and harvest from the same forests but never come into direct contact with one another.
  • Colonists believing to be from Massachusetts (hereafter referred to as SCP-4006-A) and colonists from Connecticut and Rhode Island finally meet but never explicitly discuss their location. SCP-4006-A assume the others they meet to also believe themselves to be from Massachusetts.
  • Cities establish two or more separate governments and assume separate names. People believing themselves to be from one city or the other only meet with police forces and only read of the news pertaining to the city identity they believe to be true. The governments of each "city" never become aware of each other's existence, and continue to function independently.
  • The same pattern is established as the colonies of Rhode Island and Connecticut establish governments, while SCP-4006-A believe these governments to be their own governments. English surveillance of each colony is tricked in much the same way, incorrectly assuming they have crossed the border into Massachusetts and only then encountering SCP-4006-A when discussing regional affairs.

It is difficult to assess the history of Massachusetts' past this due to SCP-4006's effects. By 1928, SCP-4006-A spanned the entire east coast and several northeastern states. Concentrations were (and are still) highest in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and New Jersey. The furthest west that SCP-4006-A have been identified is North Dakota. People believing themselves to be visiting any city in Massachusetts (such as Boston) will actually be in any number of other cities near Massachusetts. Such cities include New York City, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. Whenever in a conversation where the name of, trivia about, or landmarks within the city are discussed, people will only encounter others who believe themselves to be in the same city.

Note that due to the scale of SCP-4006, only enough effects to communicate the nature of SCP-4006 have been recorded here. For a list of all recorded effects of SCP-4006, contact any personnel of 4/4006 clearance.

Addendum 4006-1 | Foundation Occupation of Massachusetts
SCP-4006's effects make Massachusetts an unusually secure location for Foundation activities. However, while SCP-4006 is currently the most powerful probability based anomaly within the Foundation's knowledge, purview, and containment, it has been shown to be imperfect, as several Foundation scientists were able to discover the true nature of Massachusetts while researching anomalies they believed to be within Massachusetts. As such, Protocol MtV-4006 has been created. Protocol MtV-4006 is a reminder to all involved with SCP-4006 and those working in Sites within Massachusetts:

Do not assume that SCP-4006 will keep activity secret. Continue to take all necessary precautions to maintain the veil, in the event that SCP-4006 fails to censor all information about the true nature of Massachusetts.

In the name of MtV-4006, the SCP Foundation has allocated several million USD a year towards creating further defenses against the public discovery of the true nature of Massachusetts. Such precautions have included:

  • Setting up sites at the locations of several supposed cities (Boston, Springfield, etc.) and making the sites appear to satellites like normal buildings.
  • Having roads between sites mimic the publicly agreed upon road maps of Massachusetts (for example, the Sites between Springfield and Boston use a connecting road that is technically a continuation of Hwy 90).
  • Wearing mostly civilian style clothing while wandering outside of Sites.

At the time of writing, all precautions have been wholly unnecessary, as SCP-4006 continues to function as expected. This fact has not diminished the Foundation's dedication to Protocol MtV-4006.

Addendum 4006-1 Extension: Continued Foundation Occupation of Massachusetts
Sites within Massachusetts have expanded to be the five largest Foundation Sites. Site-19's function as the largest collection of Foundation Level 5 personnel, Site surveyors, HMCL supervisors etc., as well as the home of the Ethics Committee Board, has now been transferred to Site-4006, based at the supposed location of Boston. Many difficult to contain SCP objects, or objects that take up a significant amount of space to contain, have since been moved en masse to Massachusetts. Hundreds of Foundation researchers, staff, and miscellaneous personnel have migrated to Massachusetts in consequence. In light of this, several developments have been made in the name of Protocol MtV-4006, including:

  • An airport has been created by Site-4006, in mimicry of the supposed Logan International Airport, where private Foundation airplanes (disguised as commercial flights) may make easier commute to and from Massachusetts. Plans to create airports in several other locations in Massachusetts have been drafted.
  • Infrastructure, mimicking real cities, has been implemented to create easy living for those within Massachusetts. All "businesses" have been placed in locations mimicking online maps of the cities.
  • A more complex roadway system across Massachusetts to make for easier commute between Sites and testing locations.

In response to these developments, Project-4006-109, "Full Realization of Massachusetts", has been proposed in hopes of creating a functioning state within the United States in which the Foundation alone may operate and accommodate for thousands of personnel. Official implementation of Project-4006-109 would begin in two years, if approved.

Addendum 4006-2 | Completion of Project-4006-109 & Expanding Awareness of SCP-4006
Project-4006-109 has been completed, and the state of Massachusetts recreated from common public misunderstandings of its structure. All major cities and small towns have been created, infrastructure mimicked, housing populated with SCP Foundation personnel, and all major "public roads" created. The US government has begun to treat the physical location of Massachusetts and its Foundation personnel as true citizens of Massachusetts. SCP Foundation personnel in the US government have implemented a system by which only fellow Foundation personnel within the government ever preside over Massachusetts. This way, the true nature of Massachusetts continues to remain secret, while also allowing the SCP Foundation's recreation of Massachusetts to function as a real state within the United States.

Commercial flights have now been seen flying over Massachusetts, and several civilian cars have passed through Massachusetts at various times. In light of this, classified Foundation activities have been further suppressed and Protocol MtV-4006 has taken even higher precedence. Testing areas above ground have been officially "closed off to the public", to make certain that civilians passing through do not stumble upon classified materials.


[Several Addenda have been removed due to redundancy and repetition. To view a list of removed Addenda, contact any researcher of 4/4006 clearance.]


Addendum 4006-8 | Uncertainty Regarding SCP-4006
In 2023 it has been found that fewer than 20 people believing themselves to be in Massachusetts exist outside of the state of Massachusetts, and that those that do are not under the effects of a probabilistic anomaly such as SCP-4006. Massachusetts is now more populated by normal US citizens than Foundation personnel. While Massachusetts remains the largest collection of SCP Foundation assets, all Sites, testing grounds, outposts, and otherwise, are hidden and contained. In light of this, three motions have been proposed:

  • Reclassify SCP-4006 as Neutralized.
  • Reclassify SCP-4006 as Explained.
  • Keep SCP-4006 as Thaumiel.

The first motion argues that SCP-4006 no longer quantifiably exists. The second motion argues that while SCP-4006 was a large enough phenomenon to warrant the designation of an SCP object at the time, every individual piece of SCP-4006 was able to be explained by coincidence and science. The third motion has been put forth by the O5 council.





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